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LIFE IN THE LAB - FOR ALL OF YOUR SPERM QUESTIONS

Hi all

We have a new member, Sperm Scientist, who is specialist in Andrology and spends her working day in a busy NHS lab doing semen analyses, sperm preparations for IUIs, post vasectomy checks (and vasectomy reversal counts) and pregnancy tests.

She trained in Andrology 15 years ago in the private sector (where she earned the title of Sperm Queen!) and took up her NHS position in October 2006

We are so lucky that she has offered to answer all of your 'sperm' questions and give the benefit of her experience. She will even throw in the occasional anecdote and interesting findings (ensuring patient confidentiality of course)

Just wanted to welcome you to the site and thank you for agreeing to give up your time to answer some questions on here.

It's such a benefit for us to have someone with your knowledge who is willing to selflessly give advice. I'm sure I speak for all our members when I say that your is time and expertise will be very much appreciated.

Miscarriages and damaged sperm

Hi Everyone and many thanks Eeyore for creating a special place just for me!

Hi kar1

I quite often get asked to do sperm counts on men whose partners have suffered recurrent miscarriages, so I guess a lot of doctors are catching on that it's a cause, and I recently heard that a good proportion of failed pregnancies are down to damaged sperm.

The thinking is that a sperm which has damage to its DNA or chromosomes (the genetic material in the sperm head that carries half the information required to make a whole person) can still fertilise an egg. Logically, you wouldn't expect this to happen because damaged sperm are usually badly formed, so the likelihood of them being able to swim normally and beat the normal sperm to the egg is lower.

However, if the damaged sperm does get to the egg first, then it will form an embryo which has missing or damaged DNA and will quickly not become viable.

I don't do DNA studies on sperm in my lab, so the most I can do is assess the overall quality of the sperm. A good look at their shapes (morphology) is a good indicator of how much damage there is, and an increase in the number of white cells in the semen can also increase damage, due to the production of toxins and oxygen free radicals.

I try to promote healthy eating with lots of antioxidants, such as vitamin C and generally lots of fresh/raw fruit and veg, and to reduce oxygen free radical-producing factors such as smoking and toxic lifestyles. This can often help with reducing the amount of DNA damage. However good hygiene and remaining free from infection is also important. It's amazing how many chaps have come back with a greatly improved percentage normal sperm forms after a short course of antibiotics (and then at least an 8 week wait to allow a fresh cohort of sperm to be produced).

Hope this has answered your question, and that I haven't been too wordy!
SS

Quoted

Originally posted by Bells
Hi SS )

Just wanted to welcome you to the site and thank you for agreeing to give up your time to answer some questions on here.

It's such a benefit for us to have someone with your knowledge who is willing to selflessly give advice. I'm sure I speak for all our members when I say that your is time and expertise will be very much appreciated.